Will Smith Recognizes Fatboy Animation Talent
For over 12 years, Michael Muthiga has been honing his craft as an animator and building his Fatboy Animation Studio in Kenya. He has over 426k Followers on Fatboy Kenya’s Instagram Page.
What started as a youthful passion for cartoons has blossomed into a successful career creating animated videos and films.
However, Muthiga never expected that one of his biggest breaks would come from the recognition of global superstar Will Smith.
In a recent video posted online, Smith praised two of Muthiga’s animated videos that used his “Kapinto Voice Over” creation – a bold, fresh character voice that Muthiga developed.
Will Smith posted these two videos on his Instagram page which has over 66 million followers, instantly exposing Muthiga’s work to a massive global audience.
Hearing Will Smith sing his praises caught Muthiga completely by surprise.
The videos featured poetic lines voiced by Kapinto, a popular Kenyan Instagram and TikTok content creator, that have made them an international hit:
“My level is here.
Here,
level yangu iko hapa juu,
yako iko chini,
kwa mchanga,
yeah,
that’s the difference,
you’re there,
Am here.”
Translating to “My level is here, here, my level is up high. Yours is down there, in the sand. Yeah, that’s the difference, you’re there, I’m here.”
These thought-provoking words have resonated widely and contributed to the incredible viral success of the animations.
From Faiba Advert to Global Recognition
For Muthiga, animations are far more than just a business – they are his life’s artistic pursuit.
“Creating animations has been my day-to-day business for over 12 good years. Other than business, it’s an art I enjoy doing,” he explained.
The name “Fatboy Animation” was chosen simply because it’s memorable and fun, characteristic of Muthiga’s animated style.
Fatboy animations were already recognized in Kenya for popular works like the animated advertisements for Faiba Internet featuring the character Mbugua.
Will Smith Recognizes Fatboy Animation Talent
Will Smith’s endorsement has shined a spotlight on the incredible creative talent emerging from Kenya and the African continent.
For visionary artists like Muthiga who pour their passion into their work, this type of global recognition from an A-list celebrity can open doors to new opportunities that were previously unimaginable.
It’s a well-deserved nod for Fatboy Animation Studio and the larger Kenyan art community that is brimming with gifted creators.
Will Smith, the acclaimed actor, rapper, and producer, has achieved massive success in Hollywood spanning over three decades.
He first gained fame as the fresh-faced star of the 90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” before becoming a box office titan with hit films like Bad Boys, Men in Black, I Am Legend and many more.
Muthiga seems to take it all in humble stride. For the Kenyan animator, no matter the accolades or viral fame, it’s just about continuing to create the meaningful, impactful animations that he’s so passionate about.
